Light in the Darkess
by Elizabeth Keller
Summary: Life can change completely in a matter of seconds. What if Jacob and the pack were a second too late in the meadow? Could Jacob allow the pack to kill Bella before she completely transformed into a vampire? Not too long and canon pairings. :
1. Go Ask Alice

Alice's pov

The cabin was just in view. I felt my body relax and breathed out a sigh. Feeling the release in my tension, Jasper squeezed my hand and smiled sympathetically. It had been a rough few months and it was nice to be able to get away and spend some time with our extended family here in Denali. Edward had not been able to stay with us after we left Forks. He checks in with us from time to time, but even when he calls, he is absent. I feel bad for him, but angry, as well. I do not agree with his decision. She is my friend, too. My heart is broken, too. Carlisle and Esme ache for their son, as well. Emmett is not as happy-go-lucky and even Rosalie is moping more than usual. I was sinking into the sadness around me. Feeling my sadness, Jasper suggested we get away for a while. As we edged close to the cabin , I felt like this trip would help. Tragedy would be absent from THIS house at least…Or would it?

As we approached the porch, a vision flashed before me_…Irina? …Yes, it was definitely Irina…She was arguing with someone…a man…he tried to hug her and she pushed away…he turned around and I saw clearly it was Laurent. I gasped…It was his eyes. They were bright red. Jasper watched my reaction throughout the vision with severe concern. "What is it? What is it, Alice," he asked anxiously. _

"_Nothing," I assured him. After all, it was none of our business. We continued up the steps and knocked on the door. Tanya answered, her face was full of anxiety and expectancy. Her face floated into disappointment when she saw our faces. "Tanya? Are you alright," I asked. She forced a smile on her worried face. "I'm so sorry," She sighed, "it's so good to see! I was just hoping it was going to be…"Her voice trailed and she went to hug us. "Come in! Welcome," She forced her voice to be cheerful. We walked in and saw Carmen, who was walking towards us with open arms. She greeted us cheerfully, but there was a sad undertone to her words._

"_Okay, what's going on," I asked, concerned. Tanya sighed. Just then, Kate stepped into view. "Irina has run off…" Kate said in a panic, "…It's been a week and still no word. She's with-"_

"_Laurent!" I finished, understanding, now, their concern._

"_Yes…he didn't take to our lifestyle for very long and began reeking havoc here…even though he denied it," Tanya said, looking aimlessly out the window. She explained that Irina had grown close to him as she tried to coach him at the beginning. He showered her with affection. As he began to break away from the proposed diet, she would make excuses for him._

"_Finally," Carmen cut in, "We had to ask him to leave. We have worked hard to make a life for ourselves here. He wasn't respecting that."_

"_But Irina left with him," I concluded. They nodded simultaneously. I thought back to my vision just before we had entered. "I have a feeling she will be back soon," I reassured them. Kate smiled in response, knowing of my gift of visions. The tension in the air eased a little, maybe from my assessment or maybe from Jasper. Either way, we got settled and began sharing stories of old times. _

_A few hours later, the door creaked open. A broken-hearted Irina stepped into the house. Kate, Tanya and Carmen jumped up and went to her. They talked softly and hugged her. She explained through dry sobs they had an argument and that it was over and that she was sorry for leaving. Irina's eyes then looking through the room and she stopped when they found Jasper and I. She jumped and gasped at our presence and a look of guilt washed across her face. She started towards us at a fast pace. "Alice-I…"She started and then stopped. She swallowed hard and looked to the ground. I looked towards Jasper and his face showed the confusion in emotion he felt from her. Her eyes came up slowly to rest on mine once more. Her face was covered in torment. "Alice…how close are you to that girl in Forks," She asked, slowly, cautiously. This question disturbed me. _

_"Close. Why," I asked, almost accusatorily. _

_She sighed again. "Because Laurent-Well, Victoria his friend- She is planning to kill her. Not just kill her, TORTURE her and kill her and she is sending Laurent to check on her before she goes in for the attack and I told him to stay out of it! If he loved me, he would stay with me and not listen to that-that vulgar WOMAN!" She explained quickly. _

_If I had a beating heart, it would have stopped right then. I looked desperately at Jasper. He was already on the phone talking in hushed and hurried tones. He looked at me and asked, "Run or book a flight?"…In a flash, we were out the door headed towards Forks._


	2. Changes: Bella's View

Laurent launched himself at me. I knew it was fruitless to turn and run. Instinctively, I put my arms out in front of me and closed my eyes, readying myself for the darkness that would most certainly come next. I heard and felt the impact when he charged into me. My head snapped back and hit the ground hard. My consciousness began to fade away and I felt his teeth sink into my neck and then and chorus of muffled growls…

I don't know what I expected dying would be like, but I most definitely did not expect the searing pain that I was experiencing._ This must be hell,_ I thought to myself. I could hear myself screaming. I tried to move my body out of the pain but I felt restrained. I came further and further out of the sleepy shelter I was cocooned in. Oh, how I wish I could go back to the peaceful blackness! My eyes flung open. I was staring at what looked like a wooden ceiling with several holes…_What the…The pain continued and I tried thrashing, uselessly, again. My screams echoed back at me from the bare wooden walls. I lifted my head as far as I could and saw that I was chained to a table…several times over!!! What was going on!?!_

"_Bella? Bella, honey, are you awake," a familiar voice asked._

"_Jacob? Jacob!! What's happening? Ugh, I hurt so bad!! Help me," I responded, writhing in pain._

_Jacob walked out of a dark corner with a damp cloth and put it on my forehead. His face was twisted in torment. "I'm so sorry, Bella! So sorry," He sobbed, laying his head in his hands. I whimpered in response. It felt as though my bones were on fire from the inside. I couldn't bear it any longer._

"_Jacob, please, please! I can't take it," I gasped. He patted my forehead and cried silently as I faded back out of consciousness._

_The next time I woke up, the pain was less severe. It was starting to abate slowly. My heart was beating excruciatingly hard and fast. It got faster and faster and it was hard to breathe. I gasped for air in a panic. I could hear heavy steps running to me…and then it was gone. Everything. The pain and the heart beat. I opened my eyes wide and scanned the room finding Jacob slowly backing away from me._

"_Jacob…it's okay now…What happened? Where are we," I asked him. Now the pain was gone, my mind was starting to work more intelligently. Jacob eyed me cautiously._

"_What do you remember Bella," He asked, now up against the farthest wall._

"_Um…Laurent….He was attacking me…," I said, searching my memories as hard as I could. I remembered him attacking me…"How is it I'm alive, Jacob," I demanded._

"_Technically, you're…not," He said. I let that sink in…and then it hit me…_

"_Holy crow! He BIT ME! …Am I….," I gasped!_

"_Yeah…I'm so sorry, Bella…We didn't get there in time," Jacob sobbed, falling to the ground. His body convulsed with his sobs. I couldn't believe it. I had gotten my wish, but not in the manner I had wanted. Now Jacob, poor Jacob…_

"_What do you mean you didn't make it in time? What are you talking about," I asked gently, trying not to upset him more. He went explained why he had not been around the past few weeks. He explained that he was a werewolf and how the pack was hunting Laurent and another vampire. He explained how they came upon my scent entering the forest and raced as fast as they could to get me out of there but when they got into the meadow, Laurent had already begun his attack. He explained that the pack was able to kill Laurent. But the story ended there. He could go no further. I let him rest a little while longer before I asked my next question._

"_Jacob…why are you here with me? Why didn't you leave me or…kill me, too, knowing what I was going to become," My throat tightened with each word. Jacob's head shot up and his eyes met mine._

"_I didn't know what to do, Bella. But I couldn't let them kill you. I couldn't," He explained, angrily. He got up and started pacing back and forth, nervously._

"_Um, Jacob," I asked, trying to sit up, but unable to do to the chains wrapped several times around me. "Where are we?"_

_Jacob stopped pacing and looked at me. "Far, far away from La Push," He replied._

"_And Charlie? Does he know where I am," I began to panic! Poor Charlie!! What would he think? That I was killed? Jacob began to chuckle. I didn't see the humor and shot him a dark look._

"_I told my Dad to tell him we ran off together," He chuckled. Relief washed over me, knowing that Charlie did not have to live in the pain of my death. Jacob's laughing was contagious and couldn't keep myself from joining him._

"_He's gonna kill you, Jacob," I said, half joking but half-serious._

"_If you don't first," He chuckled._


	3. Words

APOV

We were so close to the meadow now. Desperation pushed our feet harder on the forest floor. The trees shook with the hard vibrations of our feet. The trees began to thin and then we were there in the meadow. There was no sign of Bella.

"Bella," I called. Jasper's head caught my attention as his gaze shot across the opening. He sniffed and furrowed his brow and began to walk, cautiously, in the direction of his gaze. I followed close behind. He leaned down and focused on a spot of red on the blades of grass. Blood. Bella's blood. I would know that scent anywhere. I gasped. Standing back up next me, Jasper put a reassuring arm around my shoulders.

"This could be good, Alice. This could mean she is still alive. It sounds like Victoria meant to drag-" Jasper explained matter-of-factly but stopped short as I fell to the ground with my hands covering my face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…We'll find her, Alice," He gently pulled me into his arms.

Jasper's phone buzzed at that minute and he pulled it out of his pocket.

"Carlisle? Yes, we're here….No, just some of her blood…," he said as he drifted away. I stopped listening and pulled out my own phone. I pressed Edward's number for what felt like the 20th time. Again, straight to voicemail. I was overcome with emotion.

"GODDAMMIT, Edward!!! Turn on your phone!! You're sulking while-while- God, Edward!! We should NEVER have left and YOU know it," My voice broke and I struggled to recollect myself. Surely, when he heard my 19 other messages I had already left…"I'm sorry…Just please call me. We might still have time."

I looked up and Jasper was heading back towards me.

"They've just landed. Let's get back to the house," He said, helping me up. "We'll figure out what to do next."

I looked around the empty meadow. _Bella, where are you, _I thought.

BPOV

Buildings began to appear in the distance. We were closing in on town. The wind had been teasing me with delicious scents for the last 15 minutes. I gulped and stopped. Was I strong enough to resist? Surely, I could control this. _Carlisle had been able to, I could, too_, I assured myself. Jacob saw the internal struggles on my face and rested his huge hand on my shoulder. He smiled at me warmly, empathetically.

"You don't have to do this, you know. We can turn around," He offered.

"No," I resolved. "I need to call Charlie. He needs to know I am alright."

Jacob handed me a pair of sunglasses from his pocket. I looked at him, puzzled. He laughed, softly.

"Just put them on, Bells. Your eyes are not exactly…normal," He explained. Oh…oh, yeah. I was grateful for Jacob. He was more than I could have asked for a friend at this time. But I could see the immense sadness that lurked behind his eyes. The guilt. The pain of loss. I sighed, looking at him. I didn't want to see him hurting. I would have been better had I just been killed, I thought.

We reached a small grocery store. Jacob went in to get himself some food and I grabbed the receiver of the phone. A woman, bundled up in a thick coat, brushed past me. I could hear her warm pulse that laid deep within her jacket, her skin…My mouth watered, full of venom. I closed my eyes and concentrated. _Pull it together, Bella, _I thought to myself. I sucked in a breath and turned away. There were far harder, more pressing matters at hand.

I punched the numbers and listened to the phone ring once, twice…_He's not home, I can leave a message, I thought. Just as the machine picked up, I heard his raspy voice pick up the line. _

"_Hello," Charlie said with a tired voice. I hesitated. Okay, more like I panicked! What was I going to say to him?!?! "HELLO," He asked, annoyed,_

"_Charlie…Dad," I said sadly. Maybe this was a bad idea. I couldn't go home. It would be easier if he thought I was dead…_

"_BELLS? Bells! Where are you? I'll come get you! Where-" He sounded so relieved, so hopeful. God, I was such an idiot! Why was I doing this to him?_

"_Dad, Dad stop! I- I can't…I wont be coming home. I…love you so much, Dad! You mean so much…I wish…But I…I called to say good-bye…I…," I sobbed, tearlessly, into the phone._

"_Don't be ridiculous, Bells. Of course you can come home. I wont even arrest Jacob…Just, please," He stuttered anxiously. I knew, then, I had to cut Jacob loose. I was condemned to a life without friends or family and I couldn't take him down with me. This was my chance to get Jacob back home without…complications._

"_Don't be mad at Jacob, Dad. We didn't 'run off' together. I ran off and he followed to try to get me to come back. He tried to save me, but…he has to go back home, Dad. I wont be with him. I'm…I found out that I am dying. I thought it would be too painful for you to watch so I had to leave." I said with assurance. I am not sure if he was going to buy my story. There was silence at the other end. "Dad?"_

"_Where are you," He finally said. I could hear the tears in his voice. He bought my story. It was better this way._

"_I love you, Dad. Thank you…You are a good man, a good father. I will always love you and I will always be with you. I love you, Dad," I said slowly. Before he could answer, I hung up the phone and rested my forehead on the wall. It hurt so bad. All of a sudden, I felt the loneliness that would be my existence. I felt like the feeling would swallow me whole. Something caught my eye. It was Jacob. His face was frozen in shock, in pain…I wondered how long he had been standing there._

"_It's time, Jacob…You need to go home," I forced out._


	4. Realization

APOV

We had met up with Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Rosalie. Splitting off in different directions, we tried to find any sign of Bella, Laurent or Victoria. Suddenly, an image flashed in my head_…it was Bella…She was in pain…in a dark, room…chains… I shuddered._

_Esme grabbed my arm and gave me a concerned look. "What is it, Alice?"_

"_Well, she's alive," I assured her. "…for now," I added, gravely. _

_JPOV_

_I heard her. She was giving herself a death sentence. It didn't make sense. She could go home! Here we are in front of tons of humans and she is not attacking anyone. Why wont she go home? Why did she say I was coming back? I couldn't leave her alone? Out in the middle of nowhere! _

"_It's time, Jacob…You need to go home," she said, looking directly into my eyes. I stared back at her, defiant. I clenched my jaw. "No way in hell, Bella." She gave me a pleading look, but I was not giving in. This was non-negotiable. I grabbed her by the arm and pulled us towards the road. Back to the cabin._

"_Jacob," she said, softly. I grunted. I didn't want to look at her. I was too mad. "Jacob," She tried again._

"_What," I snapped at her._

"_I can't…risk…I can't be sure that I wont…snap. I can't put Charlie in that kind of danger. I can't put YOU in any kind of danger like that," She began. I opened my mouth to argue but she pulled us to a stop and looked intently into my eyes. "Listen to me. Say I DO go back, then what? I would have to leave again in a year or two. That would kill Charlie. I need to step away now, let him recover. I need a clean break," She stopped talking. Her face went blank and she starred aimlessly past me. It looked like she saw a ghost._

_BPOV_

_It hit me, just like that. I understood Edward now. I understood why he had wanted me to stay away in the first place. I thought about Jasper. I had been around him for months and then in that one instant, one paper cut sent him into a blind fury. Even the most controlled monster could lose control. I would never forgive myself if I harmed Charlie in any way. I had already hurt him enough in that phone call. It made me feel better to think he might be able to start to heal…I was understanding Edward and the Cullen's choice to leave a little better. I can see even more how Edward, dealing with that constant fear, would start to resent me._

"_Bells, what is it," Jacob was shaking me out of my thoughts. I flashed him a shy smile and he relaxed._

"_Nothing. I just realized how lucky I am to have you," I confessed. I knew my time with Jacob was getting shorter, even if he didn't know it. I wanted to make sure I made the best of it. He looked surprised by my response. I punched him in the shoulder, playfully. "Race ya," I exclaimed and took off into the trees. He passed me in a flash. The forest echoed with the sound of our laughter._

_EPOV_

_I sat in the bank of a river, watching the moon reflect off of the water. I had been days since I talked to anyone in my family. Every conversation, they begged for me to come back. I couldn't. I couldn't begin to pretend to go back to the way things were. I ached for Bella with all of my being. My whole world had crumbled and I laid under the debris. It was crushing me. I replayed the look on Bella's face when I told her…When I told her I didn't love her. It took everything I had not to fall on my knees in front of her and take it back. I would take it all back._

_I took my mind back to my family and knew they must hate me, too. I deserved their hate. I was losing my sanity. I knew I needed to talk to someone. Jasper seemed like a good choice. He was not over emotional and wouldn't beg like the others had. He would be understanding. _

_I pulled my phone out of my pocket and turned the power back on. Right away, it beeped, telling me I had voice mail. That seemed odd. I clicked the to listen to my messages._

"_23 new messages," the robotic voice told me. That seemed excessive…_

"_First message, 'Edward? This is Alice…I'm on my way to Forks," Anger built up in me. She KNEW I wanted her to stay away! "…You need to get here, too…It's Victoria…Bella is in danger."_

_The next think I know, my cell phone was in pieces in my hand. Damn, I thought. Damn, damn, damn! I got up and started running as fast as humanly possible. As I entered the tree line, I tore off as fast as I could. _


	5. Long Gone

BPOV

Jacob and I had spent the playing around. We raced through the trees and got into an enormous snowball fight. Laughter melted away the grief I had felt earlier in the day, after my conversation with Charlie. As the sun began to set, sadness crept back in. I continued to smile, for Jacob, so he would not become suspicious.

It got later and Jacob yawned. He settled down into blankets on the floor of the bare cabin. I sat down next to where he was laying and he put his head in my lap. I stroked his hair, gently.

"Jacob," I asked.

"Hmmm," he replied, sleepily.

"Thank you."

"Sure, sure…"

"I mean it, Jacob. You are my BEST friend. I will never forget you," I whispered. The sounds of his breathing had become heavier and more rhythmic. I knew he was asleep. "Be happy, Jake." I gently, moved myself from under his head and stuffed another blanket under to act as a pillow. I kissed him softly on the forehead and tiptoed out the door.

I took off running in the moonlight. Before long, I stopped and leaned against a tree, sobbing tearlessly.

EPOV

Ugh. I shouldn't have done that to my phone. I wanted to talk to Alice so bad and find out what was going on. I found my car and raced down the highway. I slowed, slightly, when I reached Forks. I got caught in a red light and thought about going around the cars stopped ahead of me when something caught my eye. In the window of the beauty shop was a flier. It had Bella's face, smiling. I looked closer. It read, "Missing: Isabella Swan." I gunned it and swerved through the intersection, barely missing a car.

APOV

I saw Edward in his car and flinched when he barely missed a car. I leaned over to Carlisle and whispered, "He'll be here, soon."

Minutes later, tires squealed to a stop outside the house. Edward walked in, a tormented expression on his face. He walked straight to Charlie. Carlisle rose and steadied Edward, holding him firmly on the shoulder. Charlie looked up from where he was sitting. As his eyes focused on Edward, his face went from angry to defeated.

"I was hoping…she was with you," Charlie admitted.

"I'll find her," Edward said through his teeth. He was barely holding it together.

The sound of the door shutting caught the attention of the room. All eyes stared at a nervous looking Jacob Black.

"YOU," Charlie shouted, knocking over the wooden chair with a loud thud. Carlisle gripped him on the shoulder to keep him back.

JPOV

When I woke, light was pouring into the holes of the cabin. I stretched dramatically and yawned.

"What are we going to do today, Bells?…Bells?" I looked around the room. It was empty. Perhaps she was out getting breakfast. I started towards the door when a folded piece of paper caught my eye.

"I'm so sorry, Jake. I had to go. You need to go back home. Your dad needs you. Charlie needs you. I'll be fine. You have already done too much…I love you, Bella"

I felt as though someone had punched me hard in my gut. She left me.

As I got closer to town, I didn't know where I should go. Do I go home? No, I had to see Charlie.

Nerves overtook me as I rounded the corner and the Swan house was in sight. I recognized my dad's car. For a moment, I stopped…I wanted to turn around…But Bella wanted me to do this. I had to do this for her.

I neared the house and a sickening sweet smell wafted out. Vampires. I grunted and hoped up the stairs. I pushed up the door and walked in, sensing all the eyes on me.

EPOV

I was be bombarded with thoughts the moment I walked through the door at Charlie's house. Alice was trying to tell me about visions of the meadow…of Laurent…of Victoria's plans….Bella's blood…Bella in chains…

Charlie was thinking about Bella dying. He wondered how to find her and bring her back to die at home.

Jasper was thinking about werewolves. I fought the urge to ram my fist through the wall in frustration. I had hoped…I thought she would be here, safe, as I walked through the door.

"I was hoping…" Charlie said out loud, "She was with you." I never knew I could feel such pain as I did in that moment. I wished I had never left. My jaw clenched. I assured Charlie, and myself, that I would find her.

The noise of the door made me jump. _This is for Bella…She wants me to be here for Charlie_, Jacob Black thought over and over.

Charlie nearly attacked him in a rage, but Carlisle restrained him. I walked straight for Jacob and pulled him quickly out the door. He tensed up at my touch and shot me a furious look.

"What do you know," I demanded, turning around and staring into his face.

"That you left her for dead," He replied, venomously. The tension between us with thick. I hadn't noticed Emmett and Jasper had followed us outside. On his side stood other two tribe members.

_He saved her. He took her away to keep her safe_, a younger boy thought. I glanced sharply in his direction.

"Why did you take her away? What happened," My voice was getting louder. I felt Emmett's arms restraining me.

"We didn't…We didn't get there in time," Jacob admitted, looking away._ He had already sunk his teeth in her, he thought. I stepped back away from Jacob._

"_Laurent," I asked. He faced me again, looking annoyed._

"_I'm not on a first name basis with bloodsuckers," he sneered._

"_Where is she…Where's Bella," I asked softer. Was she dead, I wondered but couldn't find the words to say out loud._

"_I don't know…She left…,"Jacob replied. He handed me a hand-written note, the note that Bella had left him. "She's one of you, now," he added, sadly, as he walked away._


	6. Search Party

BPOV

The sun was out in full force. I cowered in a cave, waiting out the daylight. Luckily, I was able to find a deer early this morning and that satiated my thirst. At least for now. I had be alone for only a day and it seemed like so much longer. Ugh, I only have forever by myself. My mind began to wonder where the Cullen's were…Where Edward was…What would he think if he knew?

JPOV

Despite my better judgment, I sat down with Edward, map in hand. I pointed to the area the cabin had been in. Edward and his "family" started to discuss how far she could have gotten and made plans to search the area for her.

APOV

I stormed around the house, angrily slamming the door behind me. I would get a flash of Bella now and then. It was a relief for me, and everyone else, to know that she was alive, well, that she still existed. But I still had no clue where she was. Unfortunately, my sixth sense didn't come equipped with GPS.

We now knew the werewolves had taken care of Laurent but there was still no sign of Victoria. And there was Bella, alone, adjusting to her new…life, with Victoria still looking for revenge.

Edward continuously beat himself up for leaving in the first place. He had not wanted her to become…one of us and he most certainly didn't want her to go through that by herself. The boys and Rosalie had set out immediately after taking to Jacob Black, each one searching a different direction, hoping to catch her scent. They left me and Esme at home, in case she decided to come back her. It was more frustrating to just wait around.

I sighed, looking out into the forest, thinking about Bella, when I got a vision. _Red hair, blowing back from the wind…she was running…not far in the distance someone turned around…it was Bella._

_I pulled out my cell phone and dialed as quickly as I could. "EDWARD! She found her!"_

_BPOV_

_The sun had gone down so I emerged from my shelter and started walking, the sound of leaves crunching beneath my feet. I headed off in no direction. I had nowhere to be. I sighed loudly. Suddenly, the hairs on my neck stood up…there was danger. I stopped in my tracks and crouched, defensively. Letting my instincts take over, I smelled the air and looking around. I saw movement…something red?_

_It got closer. _

"_Victoria," I hissed._

_She must have heard me because she started to laugh. _


	7. Not so different, after all

BPOV

I crouched lower and braced myself for a fight. The good news was I was no longer bored. I channeled all of my anger towards the situation, the sadness of being so alone, the fear…I channeled it all and focused on Victoria. I was ready to fight back. I was excited to fight back. A small grin flickered on my mouth. This would be fun…I had nothing to lose.

I noticed a nervous looking boy with her, partially hiding behind a tree. She kept her eyes trained on me and lowered herself into a crouch as she got closer. I could tell she was sizing me up for the fight. I had a feeling she expected me to still be…human.

"It's been a long time, Bella. I see time as been…kind to you," She laughed. "It was smart of your Edward to change you. It makes for a more interesting fight. But where is he to protect you?" She grinned sadistically at me.

"HE didn't change me, he left me…"I replied, knowing I had said too much. Her eyes perked up and she cocked her head to the side, looking at me quizzically.

"Who did it, then," She asked, curious now. I sighed. "Laurent…before the werewolves killed him." I replied. The shock on her face at the word "werewolves" made me smile.

"Werewolves," She hissed. I nodded proudly. She took a quick step towards me, taking a swipe with her left arm. I side-stepped her and dodged the hit. She moved back and got back into position. She lunged at me again, this time making contact with my shoulder. The impact threw me back into tree, making a loud cracking noise. I jumped back into position. Now I was pissed. I swung around and landed a round-house kick right in her side, sending her skidding across the ground. She snarled at me from where she landed.

"What did you mean that he left you," She asked as she got up and dusted the dirt off of her. The casual tone caught me off guard.

"Um…I mean he left…He said he didn't want me," I replied. Why was I telling her this. She laughed out loud. Then sighed and crouched back down.

"Ugh, I'm losing my motivation," She groaned. I looked at her with my eyebrows raised. She continued. "I was hoping to kill you, which would piss him off. But if he doesn't care…And I LIKE this shirt. Look at it now!" Now I was really confused.

"You loved James," I told her matter-of-factly. She shot me a look. The boy hiding behind the tree made an indistinguishable noise. Now, Victoria was looking at him. She stood up straight.

"He left me, too," She admitted. She was now sauntering towards me. "He always did that. Made me do the work of finding what he wanted and then like that, he told me to wait and he got in the kill. He was such a bastard."

"Um…Sorry?…" I wasn't sure whether this was a trick or if she really gave up the fight. I went trick and stayed in my defensive pose.

"Goddam MEN," She exclaimed. "No offense, Riley," She shouted in the direction of the boy.

"None taken," he called back. She looked back at me and smiled again.

"I like you, Bella. You got fight in you," She stood in front of me, one hand on her hip. I started to relax and stood slowly up.

"Thanks," I replied, still slightly cautious.

"The way I figure it, you're alone. You're free to join us. But you have to find your OWN meals. I don't share, anymore," She started to walk away, and turned her head slightly to talk to me over her shoulder. I thought it over for a minute. I had nothing to lose. I didn't have anyone else.

"Okay…but, you should know," I warned her. "I'm a vegetarian." She laughed and patted me, hard, on the back.

"We're going to get along just fine, Bella. Just fine."

EPOV

Emmett had called first. He had taken the easterly route and caught what he believed to be Bella's scent. As I ran out in that direction, my phone buzzed. It was Alice.

"Alice-" I started but she quickly interrupted me.

"EDWARD! She found her!" Alice yelled into the phone. I pushed myself to run harder. Fear engulfed me like a wild fire.

I caught up with Emmett. We followed her scent, running as quick as we could, trying hard to hold onto it. It had started to rain. We moved quicker. Suddenly, we hit Victoria's scent…But the trail ended there.

BPOV

Being with Victoria and Riley made me a little uncomfortable. I maintained my pure-animal diet. I waited behind when they went hunting for themselves. Finally, I was able to convince Riley to give a moose a little taste. He admitted it wasn't as bad as he thought. Victoria scoffed at him. But, she eventually gave in, too.

"I'm not committing to this life-style," She warned me as she finished the animal.

"I know," I assured her, smiling inward. It was a small step, but a step nonetheless.

One day, as we waited in an abandoned home somewhere in New England, Victoria offered her story. How she had been changed.

"I just turned 18. My friends and I were at Woodstock," She started.

"As in 'Woodstock'," I interrupted. I didn't take her for a music lover…Or a hippie.

"Yes," she hissed, "As in THE Woodstock." Hmm, I thought.

"Anyway, I met this nice, good looking man…" She was smiling, lost in her memory. "It was the summer of love." She laughed at something, then sighed. "We got 'interrupted'…and he left me for dead. Luckily, a few undead found me during my transition. They took care of me long enough to help me adjust to my new life, explained the rules, and left."

"Rules," I asked.

"Yes, don't piss off the Volturi…Don't reveal what you are to humans…Mass murders in the same city consecutively, that kind of stuff," She shrugged.

"Volturi," I asked, very curious at this point. Riley must have been, too, as he leaned in for the answer. She briefly went over the basic facts; lived in Italy, leaders of Vampires, will destroy you if you do anything wrong. I had a lot more to learn than I thought.


	8. Olive Branch

EPOV

We spent days searching the area after we lost Bella's scent. We found nothing. We agreed to go home and wait. Wait for Alice to have something that would help us find her. Alice continued to have flashes, which was encouraging. That meant she was still alive. But there was nothing tangible. Nothing that we could use to actually FIND her.

I stood leaning against the porch, looking out into the night sky. I heard Carlisle approach.

"How are you holding up, son," I asked, patting me on the shoulder. I sighed, loudly.

"I -I just…I just worry about her. She's a newborn and she's alone. I'm afraid that she will be upset at herself if she can't …control…herself…her thirst," I tried to explain, but I couldn't find the right words.

"I wouldn't worry too much about her, Edward. She was level headed enough to stay away from Charlie…and from Jacob. She was able to live off of animals during the days she was with Jacob. I think she is stronger than you think," He assured me. I smiled. Of course, he was right. But I wish I was there to help her.

"I should never have left! I was so STUPID to leave her. I should have at least stayed near, guard her," I muttered, angry at myself. Carlisle sighed and patted me again.

"You did what you thought was best, son. You did it out of love," He said, trying to make me feel better.

"Yeah…but will she EVER forgive me," I wondered, out loud.

BPOV

I was not comfortable stealing clothes and sneaking in abandoned houses anymore. I wanted to feel anchored somewhere, if just for a little while.

"We should get jobs," I announced one day. Victoria and Riley looked at me like I was crazy. "Look, my eyes are starting to dull out. Your eyes are…not AS red…Let's get jobs! Make money! Get an apartment!" Victoria rolled her eyes.

"That sounds like…fun," Riley replied. His face was full of enthusiasm. Victoria gave him an annoyed look and whacked him on the shoulder. "Ow!" he muttered and rubbed where she hit. She rolled her eyes again. No matter how she acted like she didn't like him, I would catch her glancing a loving look at him when she thought no one was looking. He was way different than James. He was softer spoken, younger, but he also worshipped the ground Victoria walked on. I was happy for her, for them. But during those loving moment, any slight touches they would give each other, my heart ached for Edward.

I thought about him all the time. I wondered where he was. There were times I wanted to go search for him. But where would I start? Maybe go back to Denali, get some information out of Tanya…But what if he was WITH Tanya? It was too soon…I didn't want to risk seeing that. Even if he wasn't with her, he said he didn't want me. I was afraid to see his reaction to my immortality. I imagined his face, mortified to know I would be hanging around…indefinitely. I talked to Victoria about this often. She turned out to be pretty understanding…Sometimes brash with her opinion, but understanding, nonetheless. She reminded me I had a long time to find him. She thought it was better to put more time in before actively seeking him out. She even offered to kill him for me, if I discovered he has, in fact, moved on. I graciously declined that offer. She was partially kidding, but I didn't want to egg her on, make her think that was even an option.

After much pestering, she finally gave in to my pestering about applying for a job. We a job doing night-time janitorial duties at a nice resort in a small town in Maine. It was perfect for those who didn't need to sleep at night. Plus, it kept us away from people which meant we were away from temptation.

Even though we were settled and live was generally good, I was truly homesick. I knew it was time to call Jacob. My hand was trembling as I picked up the phone and dialed his number. I was nervous of what I would hear on the other line.

"Hello," A cheerful voice answered the phone.

"Jacob," I squeaked, happily.

"Bells? Oh God, Bells!" He was equally happy to hear from me, and I was relieved. We chatted about Charlie. He took it hard but had started to get back to normal. He and Sue Clearwater had started seeing each other. I was relieved to hear he wasn't alone. Jacob also admitted that he had started seeing Leah Clearwater. I teased him endlessly but I was so entirely happy for him. I told him about Victoria and Riley. He was wary at first, but was laughing along with me as I told him about the first moose the Victoria caught HERSELF and how it took her for a ride until Riley stepped in and saved her. I talked about the places we had been. It felt like decades ago that I had seen him, but it was barely a year. I explained the beauty of our current town in Maine. About our apartment that looks out onto a lake.

There was a pause in the conversation.

"Bella, you should know…"Jacob said, softly. "Edward…I saw him." I sank to the floor.

"And?…" I tried to sound casual.

"And, he never stopped loving you, Bella. He left for the same reason you left Charlie and me," He said quickly. It was hard for him to say, and I knew it.

"Oh," I breathed, quietly. There was more silence. "I-I have to go, Jacob. You take care…I'll call you again soon." I said, quickly hanging up the phone. I put my head in my hands. Could it be true? Edward might still love me? He left me…but I understood his motives…but I also realized it was unrealistic for him to love me in the first place. I shook the thought out of my head.

I went to get ready for work.

EPOV

There was a knock at my door. "Edward," Esme's voice said from the other side.

I got up from my chair and opened the door. She smiled lovingly at me and moved motioned to Jacob Black who was standing beside her.

"We need to talk, Edward," He said.


	9. Feels like home

EPOV

Jacob was the last person I expected to see on the other side of my door. He looked nervous, ringing his hands. I offered him a seat in my room. It was a mess. I had scraps of compositions I had written. I was trying to get my mind off of Bella…I was trying to write her a song she would hear and come home to me…

Jacob took and seat and cleared his throat. "So…I talked to Bella today," He started. I jumped up in shock. Before I could say anything he put his hand out to indicate he wasn't finished. "I know where she is, Edward."

VPOV

Bella turned out to be a good addition to my little group. She made me feel…normal…As normal as one could be considering our state of body. When she had said that Edward left her, the human part of me, the part that is not quite dead, felt a pang of remembrance. I had been left behind by men plenty of times. James was no different. He was a cocky little terd. I saw the Bella wasn't going to be as easy of a conquest as I had thought when I found her in those woods. She had a lot of fight in her. I thought of James…and I realized, he had not been worth the effort of fighting her. It was nice, however, to have a mission for a while. I had gone after her so hard out of…boredom. Forever is a long time. You run out of things to do. I changed Riley in hopes that he would help me find her. He ended up not being as bad-ass as I hoped. But I liked that about him. He was tender, like Bella. He treated me like a Goddess. A girl could get used to that.

I wasn't too keen on Bella's suggestion of changing my diet. But it was worth a try. It makes Riley happy. So it makes me happy. I do slip occasionally. Hey, no one is perfect. Bella, I could tell, was still heart broken over Edward. I couldn't imagine why he left her like he did. He seemed so…he seemed like a stand-up guy. I suppose appearances can be deceiving.

Through much persistence, she got us a job. I was not really the janitor-type. I find no happiness in cleaning up after humans, but I have to admit, it is nice to have money. At least I can shop for better clothes now. Riley and I were just finishing up in the Grand Banquet Hall, Bella was in the smaller room, vacuuming and singing along loudly with her ipod. I heard footsteps and became suspicious immediately. We never had human company, not at this hour. Riley heard them too, he stopped what he was doing and shot me a look.

Edward rounded the corner. Edward! He was followed by his family. I scoffed and marched over to him, holding out a scolding finger.

"YOU are NOT welcome here," I hissed. My approach caused his family to crouch and hiss behind him. Riley was immediately at my side, ready to defend me.

"Hello to you, too, Victoria," He said dryly.

"What do you want? She doesn't want to see you, "I said, waving a dismissive hand. He sighed. He looked pained. He gave me a pleading look. I rolled my eyes.

"Fine," I conceded. "But if you hurt her AGAIN, so help me…" I wagged my finger at him and showed my teeth. I heard laughter from the big, burly one.

"Where is she," He asked, exasperated, looking over my shoulder. Just then, the sound of loud, bad singing echoed down the hall. Somehow a nicer voice in transition to becoming a vampire did not translate into a nicer singing voice…not for Bella, at least. Edward's face beamed as quickly turned and hurried down the hall towards the singing.

EPOV

I was so close. I was dizzy with anticipation. When I heard her voice down the hall, I melted. I couldn't have gotten to her fast enough. I pushed open the door and there she was. Her hair was up in a messy pony-tail, wearing a white t-shirt and grey sweatpants. She was dramatically singing into the handle of the vacuum like it was a microphone. Her eyes were closed. Her ipod turned on high.

"Why does it ALWAYS rain on me…"She crooned. I couldn't stand being this far away. Her back was to me now. I walked over and grabbed her shoulder, turning her to look at me. The forced knocked her headphones off.

"What-" she started but gasped when she saw my face.

"Bella…Bella, I'm so sorry! I never meant to…I can't believe…I have been looking for you for SO long…God, I love you," I choked out. The speech I had planned to say fell to pieces, as I did as she pulled me close to her.

BPOV

I didn't expect to see Edward standing there. Edward! I ached for this moment for so long. Any feelings of anger dissipated the moment he opened his beautiful mouth. In his face, I could see he meant every word. Jacob wouldn't lie to me. I knew he loved me. And I knew I loved him.

After he was done talking, I couldn't help but wrap my arms around him. He melted into me.

"I've missed you so much," I whispered, nestling my head onto his shoulder. "I love you, Edward. With all my heart." He took my face between both his hands and kissed me. It was so passionate, so loving. I swear I felt my heart start to beat again. Suddenly, I noticed the cheers and "Aw's" from the doorway. I opened my eyes and saw my family that I had missed so much. I giggled at their excitement.

Within seconds, they had all made their way to where we are standing. I was given hugs and pats on the head. Alice admitted she approved of my new looks, but saw that my sense of style was still lacking. Emmett wanted to know if I had…slipped…I proudly batted my eyes to show off their topaz coloring.

"Not even ONCE," Emmett asked, astonished.

"Nope," I replied, cocky.

"Quite astonishing," Carlisle said, looking at me thoughtfully.

"Okay, break it up," I heard Victoria's voice echoing off the walls. I pushed my head out to see her. She was smiling. Riley was on her heels. "So, I suppose you will be quitting?" She gave me a knowing look. I nodded. I reached out and hugged her tight. "Thank you," I whispered in her eye.

"Don't mention it…I'm just glad I can quit this damned job! It makes me nervous to stay in one place as a time," She said, with a grin. "I'm just glad you found your happy ending," She whispered into my ear. I hugged her tighter.

"We'll meet up again, soon," I assured her.

"We've got forever," She joked, giving me a slight punch in the shoulder.

We boarded the plane, heading back to Seattle. Esme assured me that Charlie would forgive me. She said he has been waiting for me to come back home. I felt Edward's arms around me tighten. Glancing up at his face, I sighed. "I'm already home."


End file.
